Posted
by
timothy
on Thursday November 28, 2013 @11:01AM
from the rewarding-good-behavior dept.

An anonymous reader writes "On Cyber Monday, millions of Americans will take to the Internet in search of the newest gadgets to bestow upon their loved ones. Most of these 'gifts' are trojan horses that will spy on their recipients, prevent them from doing what they want with their device, or maybe even block access to their favorite books or music. The Free Software Foundation is proud to introduce a map through this minefield: our 2013 Giving Guide. The Giving Guide features gifts that will not only make your recipients jump for joy; these gifts will also protect their freedom."

They really aren't trying very hard. Seriously who is actually going to prefer an FSF membership over an iTunes giftcard? You can download DRM-free music that you can play anywhere from iTunes so how is it the FSF is so opposed to that? I'd prefer a donation be made in my name to The Human Fund than an FSF membership.

They object to how the only way to download those DRM-free tracks is with that annoying proprietary bloat-ware, iTunes.

That is really lame, if you're ultra-paranoid just run it in a VM and delete it once the tracks are downloaded. The upshot is you can get DRM-free music and not be beholden to Apple at all.

They didn't mention, but the DRM-free tracks from Apple are also patent-encumbered AAC and violate your privacy, by including your account details in the file.

Being DRM-free you can convert those tracks to whatever format you want. I do understand them not endorsing such products due to the process to get the media but the fact that the media is DRM-free and therefore can easily be converted to any format you want means the result is achievable and desirable.

iTunes does not run on open-source operating systems (even with Wine [winehq.org]) so VMs don't help one bit. Running iTunes requires buying Windows or an Apple computer

errr...a VM is a Virtual Machine, you don't have to buy a Windows or Apple computer, you can run Windows in a VM on a linux system if you like, or thanks to the lack of DRM you can use any Windows or OSX system to download the songs and then copy them to wherever you want.

errr...a VM is a Virtual Machine, you don't have to buy a Windows or Apple computer, you can run Windows in a VM on a linux system if you like

Sigh. Virtual Machine don't come with an operating system preinstalled. So to run Windows in your VM you will have to buy a Windows license. Even if your computer came with Windows preinstalled, it's likely that it will refuse to run in your VM due to the different hardware, or because it's tied to your specific computer brand through some string in the BIOS. As for Mac OS X, AFAIK Apple forbids you from running it in a VM if that VM is not running on an Apple computer, hence why I said that you needed to b

Sigh. Virtual Machine don't come with an operating system preinstalled.

That doesn't mean you have to buy a Windows or Apple computer though, as you falsely stated. You have clearly only just discovered what a VM is given your statement that "iTunes does not run on open-source operating systems so VMs don't help one bit" which is false because obviously if iTunes ran on open source operating systems then the use of VM would be irrelevant anyway and the VM runs on the open source operating system and the proprietary operating system runs in inside that, so I suggest you go an ed

Sigh. Virtual Machine don't come with an operating system preinstalled.

That doesn't mean you have to buy a Windows or Apple computer though, as you falsely stated. You have clearly only just discovered what a VM is

Eh. I've been using VMs since 2001, currently have 69 VMs on my computer, 8 of which are various versions of Windows and I also manage 8 others on a server. Such a newbie!

Which is obviously rubbish, you either have to buy a Windows license or use somebody's Windows or Apple machine

Yay, we agree, mostly! See, I never said one had to buy a Windows computer, though I admit my formulation was ambiguous and poorly worded. Sorry for that. But compare "buying Windows or an Apple computer" (what I wrote, even added a comma the second time around) and "buying a Windows or Apple computer" (what you understood). But I do like

Where we still disagree is on the whole borrowing or renting someone else's computer as a practical, reasonnable for the masses way to run iTunes.

If all you want to do is redeem a gift card to download some tracks then it is perfectly reasonable, I would agree that it wouldn't be reasonable if those tracks were DRM restricted and then still required iTunes but they aren't, they only require iTunes to download them.

Yet they miss the point totally and fully. They should compare the iTunes giftcard with a giftcard from a mustic service that is DRM free. Likewise the comparison of YouTube to MediaGoblin is stupid. It is like saying you should not buy a Mercedes SLK, instead use this open source motor block. The list is pretty lame, but it unfortunately falls in line with much of the FSF communication: "trying to improve the work, but slightly missing the point". Why am I a FSFE fellow again?

If you're going to claim that the ThinkPenguin laptops are "garbage," could you at least say why they are garbage, e.g. build quality, feature set, whether one can replace some parts oneself, and so on? Otherwise it just looks like a dumb flame.

Exactly; the guide should be called, "How to make your family hate you and cause even more tech support calls for yourself." Those gadgets are not something that the "normals" would want or ever get working.

FSF membership as a gift? wtf. yeah, you sure that will make my mom part of your community?

give a 3d printer to someone who has no idea how to use it? bad idea and their choice isn't that cheap either(taz2 is fucking TWO GRAND on sale! you can get fucking three mendel90's style machines that are the thing they took the design from for that money! but it's oooh so open as if the other cheap bots weren't! fucking link to reprap.org at least... and just maybe,

Is that it? Really? Throwing a string of vulgarities together does not a troll make. Try again. The vulgarities could work if you could redo that post as a Haiku. Can you handle a haiku? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku). Or a Jeopardy post! This act entails taking a dick up the ass and allowing the person ramming your butt to ejaculate in your arse. What is an anal creampie? Honestly, it's like you're new at trolling or don't understand the concept of trolling as an art.

After reading through the list it seems they want me to give my non-techie family a bunch of shit they'll never figure out or have no use for anyway. How cute

Maybe your non-techie family members are different than everyone else's, but in general those non-techie family members will never really figure out their Windows or Macintosh PC, or their iPhone, or Google servicesâ"they're going to lean heavily on their family's designated techie for tech support regardless of what they're using (for learning how to do new things, for remembering how to do things they've done before, and for cleaning up the messes they get themselves into). Might as well give them something that's easier for you to support.

The non-techies in most families who actually use computers and smart phones are typically already accustomed to a particular OS/device. It's much easier to support their occasional need than to spend countless hours explaining how to make this new thing do what the old thing did. Now, if the FSF membership came with tech support for FSF supported items, I'd buy them one of those in a heartbeat.

Maybe your non-techie family members are different than everyone else's, but in general those non-techie family members will never really figure out their Windows or Macintosh PC, or their iPhone, or Google servicesâ"they're going to lean heavily on their family's designated techie for tech support regardless of what they're using (for learning how to do new things, for remembering how to do things they've done before, and for cleaning up the messes they get themselves into). Might as well give them something that's easier for you to support.

Uhm, you do realize reality is pretty much exactly the opposite of what you just said right...

Thats why our non-techie family members and friends use those things in the first place.

Grandma and grandpa may have tech issues since they were born before 30 years before the Internet even existed, but pretty much everyone else has figured out the popular products... that is why those products are popular.

Might as well give them something that's easier for you to support, isn't what their friends and much of the rest of the family use, limits their software choices, and makes them further dependent on you.

There, fixed that for you.I don't know about your family or that of the OP... but mine would not be grateful for such a 'gift'. It's like giving them clothes that fit me, in my favorite colors, or CD's of all my favorite music - with complete disregard for their tastes.

Maybe your non-techie family members are different than everyone else's, but in general those non-techie family members will never really figure out their Windows or Macintosh PC, or their iPhone, or Google services...

Stop. Right. There.

The geek's friends and family have made a big investment in hardware, software and services that meet their particular requirements ---not yhis.

The geek's friends and family may struggle now and again with a particular problem.

But in their millions and hundreds of millions they have somehow managed to get through most of the year without him.

How quickly the geek forgets that successful changes in core systems, software and procedures in any environment demands a massive, long term com

I can see what they're getting at but every single choice there is only better if you value "software freedom" above all else, and even in some cases they seem to be acting deliberately obtuse. For example you can install GNU/Linux on a Macbook Pro and not only will you have far superior hardware than the thinkpenguin solution but you have the choice to use whatever OS suits you for a particular task.Then there's Google Drive, sure it's free and your data is accessible to Google but if you want "cloud storage" you can't guarantee that data will always be private no matter who you host it with and if need further protections you will obviously encrypt it anyway.And what does mediagoblin vs youtube have to do with "gift giving"?

The idea that most people will value software freedom above all else is idiocy so instead they need to focus on making good products, products that appeal to most people and compete with non-free products. At the moment many (not all) things in that list are examples of free (as in freedom) resulting in a crappier product. "Free" needs to result in an equal or better product in comparison but also have the advantage of being free.

if you want "cloud storage" you can't guarantee that data will always be private no matter who you host it with and if need further protections you will obviously encrypt it anyway.

Wrong the solution is client-side encryption [wikipedia.org]. the FSF did mention it on their page: "Client side encryption to prevent snooping".

The idea that most people will value software freedom above all else is idiocy so instead they need to focus on making good products, products that appeal to most people and compete with non-free products.

Given that most people value brand above all else, competing on features is far from sufficient.

Wrong the solution is client-side encryption [wikipedia.org]. the FSF did mention it on their page: "Client side encryption to prevent snooping".

My statement didn't preclude client-side encryption, in fact if you read the passage I quoted I explicitly said you would encrypt it anyway.

Given that most people value brand above all else, competing on features is far from sufficient.

I didn't say you have to compete on features, you need to compete in all areas to build products that people actually want to use, or you can just continue the defeatist attitude and lament your view that even if you did build something decent nobody would use it...maybe that's why those products suck so much.

My statement didn't preclude client-side encryption, in fact if you read the passage I quoted I explicitly said you would encrypt it anyway.

You said "you would encrypt it anyway" which as stated implies a manual operation, while client-side encryption is transparent. Furthermore you did say "if you want "cloud storage" you can't guarantee that data will always be private no matter who you host it with" which is wrong: if your cloud storage solution performs client-side encryption then that's a garantee your data will be private.

I didn't say you have to compete on features, you need to compete in all areas to build products that people actually want to use, or you can just continue the defeatist attitude and lament your view that even if you did build something decent nobody would use it...maybe that's why those products suck so much.

You did not say they "have to" but you said they "need to", pretty much the same, and implied that would be sufficient

You said "you would encrypt it anyway" which as stated implies a manual operation

No it doesn't imply that at all.

Furthermore you did say "if you want "cloud storage" you can't guarantee that data will always be private no matter who you host it with" which is wrong: if your cloud storage solution performs client-side encryption then that's a garantee your data will be private.

Rubbish, encryption is never guaranteed to be unbreakable.

You did not say they "have to" but you said they "need to"

Wrong again, I clearly said they need to focus on making good products, products that appeal to most people and compete with non-free products, which - despite it clearly not saying it - you have interpreted to mean they have to compete on features which is clearly only one aspect.

3. block access to their favorite music: iTunes hasn't used DRM on their music files since April 7, 2009 [wikipedia.org] and as far as I know Amazon sells plain MP3 files so I'm not sure what they're talking about in the case of music.

If you are unable to make your point without flat-out lying then perhaps you should reevaluate your... Wait, it's RS. Never mind.

"MacBook Pro: Planned obsolescence: business model forces you to buy new devices frequently." I'll mention that to my friends carrying various laptops that aren't worth enough to sell but completely functional and in use. My wifey uses a MacBook and she's never been forced to upgrade.

"iOS: The company claims to take away your freedom". I'm sure RS can tie that back to something th

The macBook isn't that much worse than other laptops, but iOS most definitely takes away your freedom. It has a single software source with no option to install something Apple doesn't approve of. They've blocked children's programming apps, political statements, and magazines relating to their competition.

I'd love to know what their definition of "buy new devices frequently" is in relation to the MacBook Pro - mine is 3.5 years old and its still going strong. I envision getting another 2 or more years out of it yet, probably more. Its already older than the Dell it replaced.

Pre-Order: All current orders are pre-orders. Pre-orders are expected to start shipping before the end of the year (this does not include the Fundable backers, which will start shipping sooner). Expected lead times for shipment are currently 7-8 weeks.

-------------

So not only are they suggesting that people BUY a 3D printer instead of making their own [reprap.org] in the true open hardware/open source spirit, they're listing one of the most expensive 3D printer out there and it's not even going to start shipping until after Christmas/early next year.

Why is it half the shit on that list of comparisons is flat out lies or exaggerations beyond acceptable?

Even if you take the GNU fanboy side, its just full of flat out lies.

Pretending Linux some how magically doesn't even need upgrading... but windows does.Pretending this 3d printer is open source/libre... when it isn't even actually available.Pretending a Mac can't run Linux for some reason, and that somehow Apple laptops are prone to planned obsolescence but magically th

Many of the comments here seem to insinuate you have to be delusional to enjoy and desire 100% free software. I'd like anything on that gift giving guide. I'm not a paranoid delusional. My paranoia is based on plenty of evidence, and is tempered by practicality. However, that's the tiniest of concern compared to the other benefits offered.

I wouldn't necessarily gift that stuff to folks who wouldn't appreciate it, but I'd recommend the guide to folks looking to allocate resources on my behalf. I also know several young folks that would appreciate the gifts. My niece really loves tinkering with technology, and is always "pestering" me to play with our toy languages, toy OSs and electronics and robotics projects. She wouldn't have known where to begin if it wasn't for the gift of free software.

Having an OS and supporting software that's fully free and open source has been a huge benefit in our learning and teaching endeavors, especially as references to how stuff works. Doesn't anyone remember the joys of discovering how to code? While some kids took apart dad's drill, I took apart my boot sector and had no one to look to for help. I wasn't lucky enough to have a mentor or access to an open source OS -- or even a free & open compiler -- when I was trying to learn how the CS wheels were invented. I was amazed when I discovered I could just use the DTR pin of a serial port (instead of the then incomprehensible to me RS232) to control switch on a model train set. I'd have been ecstatic to have working source code for something like LIRC or blown away by a 3D printer, and I know my niece will love them too. I know for a fact she's get plenty of enjoyment demonstrating to her friends her creations via her own portable OS shaped like a key.

What's best is knowing that unlike on proprietary systems, when I'm asked, "but how does it do that?", I can always say, "Hmm, I don't know. Let's see!"

Many of the comments here seem to insinuate you have to be delusional to enjoy and desire 100% free software. I'd like anything on that gift giving guide.

You'd like a new and relatively untested Linux distribution? That'd be a great thing to saddle a relative with. You have any relatives you're planning to spend a grand on? Then you can buy them that 3D printer. Better spend another grand on doodads and consumables. FSF membership card? Nobody in my family would want one. Laptop with a premium for coming with Linux installed? Also expensive. Project Gutenberg? This holiday, give the gift that your family already has access to 24x7. A wacky fork of Android? Y

From the Giving Guide [fsf.org]: "Project Gutenberg over Amazon". The problem with relying exclusively on Gutenberg is that you'll end up with an impression that nothing happened after 1922 because that's the cutoff for U.S. perpetual copyright. This means, for example no World War II to spur the development of electronic computers in the first place.

Seriously - why on earth are you suggesting half those products? While I respect and am aligned with the goals of the FSF, half those "products" are going to change nothing (at best), or backfire (at worst). If you gave a list of decent products, that would be different - I can feel good about giving gifts that people (who don't care about FSF) can appreciate. This just seems like a set of gifts that make me feel good, while my non-techie friends spend hours trying to return the gift for refunds. And what i

Nope, it is a USB camera - Intel CS110. A quaint old camera; I was shocked that it worked with Windows 8 actually. My primary camera got busted, and I dug this out of my garage. Oddly enough, it works with Skype in Desktop mode, but the turd that is Metro Skype refuses to believe I have a camera.

As I see it, the FSF's biggest problem is that their obsession with "not-proprietary" actually seems to overshadow their focus on "legally free".

However, at least this list has a couple of actual things on it that actually would be generous gifts (Heck, yeah, if somebody bought me that 3D printer, I'd cope with waiting a week or two after christmas to get it, and a nice laptop computer would always be appreciated). I was half-expecting it to be ALL "Give the FSF money and tell then you did it for them!"

As a great proponent of software freedom, digital (and other) privacy etc... I can applaud the FSF for bringing to light the issues with common software and hardware and offering alternatives. However, from a practical standpoint, as others have said - these items are only alluring to those who value software freedom above all else. Why? These items typically will be less functional, easy to use, or are otherwise encumbered for all but those who see the value of software freedom and are willing to put in

I ignored the guide (well I didn't know about it at the time) and got a Kindle Fire. Guess what, you can't even install the free apps without a credit card. And is not like it comes with a lot of apps, it is basically unusable without a credit card!